ACAD WRITING ACROSS DISCIPLINES

• Types of science writing

  • Lab write-ups
  • Secondary source journal or literature reviews
• Science writing typically involves two types of papers
• English is probably the most dynamic of the academic disciplines when it comes to writing
• History is a robust and research-intense discipline
• History requires

  Impartial analysis of significant people and events
• Philosophy papers place unique emphasis on argument
• Philosophy papers


  Subject the logical moves a writer makes to greater scrutiny
• Theology requires forming arguments based on careful analysis
• Theology involves

  Intimate interaction with the religious text
• Political Science assignments involve objective analysis
• Political Science writing

  Focuses on political issues, trends, and phenomena
• Psychology writers must answer why their research is meaningful
• Psychology writing

  Explains how research applies to human life and why it should matter to the reader
• Business writing requires that the author’s message get out quickly and clearly
• Business writing


  Seeks to maximize profitable communication by cutting out extraneous material
• Engineering writing resembles science writing
• Engineering writing

  Is technical, formulaic, and requires objective observation
• Engineering writing style

  Uses third-person perspective and passive voice